Pitch Pine

Pitch Pine. Bradner's Run Nature Trail, Cape May, NJ. , Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida) is the dominant tree of the New Jersey Pine Barrens and was a major source of pitch and timber used in ship building. It was also used for railroad ties due to its high resin content which preserves it from decay. Pitch pine has an exceptionally high regenerative ability; if the main trunk is cut or damaged by fire it can re-sprout using epicormic shoots. This is one of its many adaptations to fire, which also includes a thick bark to protect the sensitive cambium layer from heat. Burnt trees often form stunted, twisted trees with multiple trunks as a result of the re-sprouting. This characteristic also makes it a popular species for bonsai., Archeology indicates that the Iroquois, Shinnecock, and Cherokee all utilized Pitch Pine. The Iroquois used the pitch to treat rheumatism, burns, cuts, and boils. Pitch also worked as a laxative. A Pitch Pine poultice was used by both the Iroquois and the Shinnecock to open boils and to treat abscesses. The Cherokee used Pitch Pine wood in canoe construction and for decorative carvings., Pitch Pine provides a habitat and offers food form any wildlife species. They are used as cover and nesting for birds such as the Pine Warbler, Wild Turkey, Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, Great-Crested Flycatchers, Blue Jays, Black-Capped Chickadees, and various Warblers.